Four Ways to Ignite Your Power
May 2010
I just returned from the Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts third mastery weekend in New York City. If you haven't been following my discoveries you can still read about weekend one and weekend two. Let's just say I'm becoming a Pleasure Revolutionary. I've gone to Miami and skinny dipped in the Raleigh Hotel pool. Why? For fun! I danced my heart out with a Latin heart throb. Why? It was pleasurable to be adored and admired. I wrote my desires in the sand. Why? To set manifestation in motion.
Here is what I'm savoring from the latest Mama Gena weekend:
Marketing - When you have a business or service you are marketing - speak from your heart with passion about how what you do changes peoples lives and gets results. People will be drawn to your work. Be transparent and share your many facets: I'm a mother, a triathlete, a dancer, a teacher, trainer, facilitator, mother, educator, coach, wife, fitness instructor, cook and fun woman! It makes you more interesting and personable.
Having Joy - Too often we get caught up in our tales of woe and struggle, and our joy is buried. Invite 'Joy' to join you at your banquet table of life. This video is a reminder of the joy we felt with abandon as a young child. As an adult it's time to reclaim it and say "yes!" to what life has given us. The hardships we have experienced are lessons and gifts for our growth. Let's celebrate every day like Jessica does in the video!
Expanding our Comfort Zones - I signed up to be in a talent show. I'm doing a burlesque number! Wow, talk about stepping out of my comfort zone. And what pleasure it's giving me! What's something new you can do next?
Man Training - Too much fun - Acknowledge him, share your desires and appreciate, appreciate, appreciate!
Jill Rogers' Seven Sacred Steps - A new paradigm for loving fully. You learn to give to yourself first because you cannot give what you do not have to give. Then you can bring extraordinary love into fruition. Stand for Yourself (Gather love for yourself first and ask, "What is my path? What do I stand for? What is my adventure?"), Listen, Appreciate, Captivate, Go Beyond, Receive and Let Go.
Robert Mirabal, a Taos Pueblo, Native American inspiring us with his soulful flute music and reminding us of the importance of nurturing ourselves daily so that we give wellness to our children and the next generation.
After coming off these weekends I'm embracing my power and enjoying life more fully. Here are 4 Steps you can take to Ignite Your Power:
1. Nurture Yourself Every Day:
- Food - Food is your medicine. It can heal you or hurt you. Choose clean foods, those which God created, not those with man's hand in manufacturing. Here are my nutrition recommendations. Reduce your sugar! Ideally 15g/day. Drink more water.
- Exercise - Some form of daily exercise is nurturing. It feeds your spirit, opens your mind and detoxes your body. Something is better than nothing. If you aren't doing much now, begin with small steps. Do a five minute jog or walk around the block to start. Have a timed goal and add a few minutes each week. It's only through repetition that you build your consistency muscle. Try my 10-minute workout. Don't have ten minutes? Pick one of the exercises and do it before you jump in the shower. Small steps.
- Play- Play is an act of self-care and essential for our well being and survival. A life devoid of play is a major health risk factor. Play helps us innovate, problem solve, generate optimism and get empowered. Play only requires two decisions: granting yourself permission and scheduling! Play hooky, paint with your hands, go fishing, dance around the house, sing, play catch, jump on a trampoline, take an improv class, go to open mic night and read a poem, laugh, wear tap shoes around the house and tap away, watch a funny movie, get silly with a friend, enter a talent show!
- Create a Morning Ritual - In the early morning, the mind is most open and receptive to new ideas and inspiration. Get up an hour before you have to and sit quietly for 10-15 minutes and write, meditate or read spiritual literature. This is a great time to state your desires for the day and then take a walk or jog for 30 minutes. Be proactive about starting your day well and get focused before you get interrupted!
2. Conscious Language:
Choose your words and thoughts carefully. I work with SO many people on improving their mindset to reach their goals. When we use sarcasm, self-deprecation or frame what we want in the negative (e.g. "I don't want to be late") we limit our ability to create results. These limiting beliefs, often unconscious, are obstacles to living a vital, fulfilling life. The first step is awareness. Can you hear your internal dialogue? Examples: "I can't" - "I'm not a morning person" - "Life is crazy busy" - "I don't have time" - "I should" - "I'm tired" - "It (the addiction/drug/food) helps me relax" - "It will be so hard to quit" - "I'm not sure" - "I'll try" - "How will I remember all this?" This keeps us in separation, lack and want. Start re-framing your words to more effective language that affirms what you want to create: "I am, I decide, I can, I choose, I create, I love, I enjoy, I will, I have, I claim, I move through, I commit, I transform." This moves us into choice, and we gain power. Energy follows thought, and our life forces begin to self-correct and fulfill our heart's desires. Use this Conscious Language 101 CD set by Robert Stevens to get conscious with your language.
3. Give Yourself Pleasure Every Day:
This is a new paradigm. I talked about play above, and now I want you to bring pleasure to all that you do. When a men/women stand in their pleasure, the whole world is blessed. Life is meant to be enjoyed - not, "I'll enjoy it when my work is done." As you make decisions and choose your actions, ask yourself "Does this give me pleasure?" - "How could I make this more pleasurable?" - "What would give me pleasure today?" This slight shift in thinking gets us to a place of choice, creating enjoyment rather than enduring and 'having to.' You can find a way to make your work/chores/responsibilities pleasurable. I dance to music while I cook dinner. I have flowers and music at my desk. Exercise: Every night before bed or right when you wake up, create a "Desire List" - "Today, I desire..." Name them all; Big and small, practical and bold, travel, beautifying, things that excite you, "If I had seven days to live, here's what I do..." desires, and daily practical desires (get a project done, say no/set boundaries, take a bath, call a friend, take a nap, have strawberries dipped in chocolate fed to you by your lover). Practice the art of asking for what you want and watch the manifesting unfold. Would love to hear your findings.....
4. Give Thanks
Be in your pleasure, and start appreciating those around you. With delight, give an acknowledgment. Start and end your day with gratitude. In a bad mood? I love this poem by Hafiz: "I Know How You Can Get". We can always find things to complain about which is draining to ourselves and others. What you focus on expands, so switch your lens to seeing what's working. Find three things each day for which you are thankful. Practice this daily. It will fuel more joy, contentment, connection, fill you with energy and happiness! This video is an excellent example of a girl in her pleasure and practicing gratitude. Send me a video of your gratitude dance!
Food for Thought:
- "Getting your bliss starts with finding the bliss where you are." - Mama Gena
- "The pursuit of pleasure requires a willingness to reach for the good, no matter what the circumstances. It's only when you reach for it that you find it." - Mama Gena
- "God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?"
- William A. Ward
Contact Andrea to see how coaching is a great tool to assist you at nurturing yourself, creating pleasure and manifesting your goals. If you work at a company, Higher Ground's Team Building Wellness Workshops inspire groups to create a healthy, satisfying and more productive work life.
See how others have made Coaching work for them. Call to schedule a complimentary, 30-minute sample coaching session or discuss a 6-week group workshop. (847) 971-3643 or email: andrea@hgcoaching.com
